La Trinidad, Benguet

So when I was still in high school, the seniors were required to attend a 3-day retreat at the Mount St. Paul Retreat House in La Trinidad, Benguet.  Only one photographer was allowed per class.  Being a student council officer, I vested in myself the sole authority to take pictures during the first 2 days.  Everyone else had her cameras and cellular phones back on the third day when the retreat was over.

I like Benguet.  It's high up in the mountains up north and it's really cold there during the entire day.  Average temperature was perhaps 18 C.  Makes you think whether you're still in the Philippines or not.

We went to a market on our way back to Manila.  I have no idea why brooms from Benguet are really popular.  Well, maybe because they're cheap.  I'm really not a big fan of peanut brittle, one of the well-known products of the Benguet area.  What I really like are the (Good Shepherd / Mikasan) choco flakes.  I hear strawberries from there are also great.  I really wouldn't know as I'm not that big of a fruit eater.

Anyway, I used an Olympus Camedia D-390 then, and had second-to-the-worst settings ever for maximum picture retention.

The Mt. St. Paul Retreat House 

A crucifix somewhere outside the retreat house

The view from my room

The market

Strawberry Fields Forever

I'll try to find pictures of my Baguio trips and I'll write another entry on Benguet soon. :)

Miag-ao, Iloilo

Last year, my friends and I spent a week in Iloilo.  As you may or may not know, Iloilo is home to many old churches, which date back to the time of the Spaniards.

One of the oldest churches in the country is the Miag-ao Church in Miag-ao, Iloilo.  I have no idea why Miag-ao  has to have a dash (-) in between.  Anyway, the church was constructed in 1786.  One of the church staff told me that the walls were actually made from egg cement.  Awesome!

Unfortunately, the church was being renovated when we visited so I didn't get to take really good photos.

The Miag-ao Church is under renovation.

Miag-ao Church's well-maintained lawn, if you like

Inside Miag-ao Church

So after the unsatisfying visit to the supposedly breath-taking church, we went to UP Visayas.  We took pictures by the Oblation, the symbol of the University of the Philippines.

Here's my friend, Stef, posing behind the Oblation.

I'd love to go back to the Miag-ao Church when it's no longer being renovated.

El Nido, Palawan

My first plane ride was to El Nido, Palawan when I was in first grade.  I was with my parents and grandfather.  The year was 1997, if I'm not mistaken.

El Nido had an amazing beach.  Crystal clear salt water brushed the shore of fine white sand.  I was young and stupid back then and I took for granted the awesomeness of the beach.  The most I did was to construct an average sand mountain as I absolutely had no knowledge of sand castles, much less how to build one.

We went boat-riding, island-hopping, snorkeling, and my parents went spelunking.  Back then, I wasn't as intrepid as I am now, so I didn't join them into the dark caves.  We also fed bread to fishes.  

All beaches after El Nido were no match.

My dad scanned some of the pictures of our trip.  Here they are:

Here's 6-year old me with my mom by the El Nido airport sign

Here's me and my Lolo standing on the shores of El Nido

Here's us riding what I then called a torpedo boat

I'd love to go back there someday. :)

First Post

I just had to return to blogging. :)